Education

National Bowel Cancer Screening Program for nurses

New resources available

APNA, in partnership with Cancer Council WA and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, has developed the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – Guide for nurses working in general practice which contains information on the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, a conversation flow chart, and a How to complete an iFOBT guide. Hard copies will be delivered to members by mail, and available at selected APNA workshops.

These resources will assist nurses in general practice to promote bowel cancer screening through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. This program saves lives – but it can only work with the support of general practices. The evidence is clear that a recommendation from a primary health care provider is an important motivator for participation in bowel cancer screening. If found early, 9 out of 10 cases of bowel cancer can be successfully treated. Start the conversation now.

Webinar

Around 80 Australians die of bowel cancer every week, but if detected early, up to 90% of cases can be successfully treated. It is therefore vital that nurses know what advice to give about the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program

The webinar was designed to help nurses working in primary health care understand their role around the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

This webinar covered:

An introduction to bowel cancer and why screening is important

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, including who is eligible and information about the Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)

Information on the new National Cancer Screening Register

How nurses can work with patients to increase bowel cancer screening including:

Dr Hooi Ee has been a full-time gastroenterologist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Western Australia since 1998, where he has also held previous roles as Head of Department and Director of Endoscopy. He is the Clinical Adviser to the Department of Health WA on strategic and operational issues pertaining to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. He has also been co-opted to assist with revising the NHMRC’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention, Early Detection and Management of Colorectal Cancer since 2015. His current clinical interests include general luminal gastroenterology, genetic colorectal cancer syndromes and endoscopy performance.

Tracy Murphy

Tracy has worked in general practice since 1990 in Mildura and Ballarat. She has also worked as a solo Women’s Health Nurse in Ouyen for Women’s Health Loddon Mallee for eight years. Her main areas of interest are health promotion and preventative health, women’s health, youth health and nurse-led clinics. Tracy completed a Master of Advanced Nurse Practice (Primary Care) in 2012 and now coordinates the Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Nursing at the Department of General Practice at the University of Melbourne.

Supporting nurses with the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program

This project aims to increase primary health care nurses engagement with the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), with the goal of increasing Program participation. This project is in partnership with Cancer Council WA, and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.

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